Massaging apparatus



P. L. F. HFCHAUSSINAND.

MASSAGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATiON FILED APR. 2. 1913.

1 ,387,687, I Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

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Q, g c I w OMWMQb UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MASSAGING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

Application filed April 2, 1913. Serial No. 758,418.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L,1313.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL LOUIS FRAN- cois HrrroLYrn CHAUSSINAND, acitizen of the French Republic, and resident of St. Dizier, HauteMarne,France, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in MassagingApparatus, (for which I have filed an application in France, rlpril 2,1912, Patent No. 442,035,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a vibratory massage apparatus and has for itsobject to pro vide an improved construction of such apparatus which canbe operated manually or mechanically and can be used for effecting andcombining different methods of massage and for friction treatment, themassaging surface being divided in to a large number of small elementseach operating locally and permitting of multiplying the vibratory powerfor a given period.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing by way of example, the apparatus shown being manually operable.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus; Fig. 2is a section on the line AA of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section toenlarged scale of the upper part of a slightly modified type ofapparatus showing the percussion members and their operating means, incombination with the friction treatment apparatus.

Fig. & is a plan of the apparatus showing another arrangement of thefingers in allnular or circular series.

The apparatus comprises a casing 1 in the form of a box or frame,provided with a handle 2 and inclosing any suitable operating means, forexample, a double train of gear wheels 3 3, 3 3, operated by an externalcrank 4, the movement being transmitted by bevel wheels 6, 6 to thevertical shaft T, which carries the vibratory driving members as will behereinafter described. A fly wheel 5 is mounted on one of the shafts,preferably that which revolves most rapidly 2'. e. in the case shown, onthe shaft T.

The casing 1 is provided at its upper end with a box 7 comprising at itsupper end two partitions 8 and 9 bolted together and provided forexample, in circular concentric lines (Figs. 1 and 2) with holespermitting the passage of the percussion members 10 called fingers.These fingers, (Fig. 3)

guided by the partitions 8, 9 are each provided with a collar 11 at thelower end and a sprlng 12 interposed between these collars and the upperwall 9, and acting continuously to depress or retract the finger. Arubber washer or the like 10' is interposed between the collar 11 andthe lower partition 8 to absorb shocks and prevent noise when the fingerstrikes on its seat under the action of its spring. The rounded end ofeach finger may be provided with grooves or channels dividing themassaging action which further permits of almost completely juXta-posingthe fingers.

Centrally, is arranged a rod 13 guided in a square portion 14: in thelower partition 8 in such manner as to be capable of displacement in anaxial direction but not in a rotary direction, and forced continuouslyin a downward direction by a spring 15 but limited in this movement by acollar, bolt or the like 32 hearing on the upper partition 9. This axialrod 13 and the finger like members 10, arranged concentrically areadjustably controlled by the following arrangement:

On the vertical driving shaft T is keyed in such manner as to be able toslide longitudinally, a member forming a cross piece 18 with one or morearms 19, 19' each of these arms having a roller 20, 20, which movesalong the corresponding circular row of fingers in a plane transverse orsubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal thrust of said fingers.In the embodiment shown there are two circular rows of fingers andconsequently two roller carrying arms 19, 19, the longer of which ismade lighter than the shorter so as to balance the effects of thecentrifugal force. When the cross piece 18 rotates, the rollers 20,20,'raise the lingers preferably one by one successively and alternatelyon opposite sides of the central axis, the fingers of the two rows beingfor this purpose arranged in staggered relation as shown in Fig. 2. Itwill be'understood that other arrangements might be used withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

The central rod 13, is given a vibratory movement by the followingarrangement:

.This rod has at its-lower end a member 22 in the lower face of whichare provided radial grooves forming inclined cam surfaces 22. Thismember 22 is arranged above a similar member 23 carried by the crosspiece and the cams 28' of whlch are arranged opposite the first. WVhenthe cross piece rotates the part 22 integral with the 1.0 mayberegulated in such manner as to gers alone jor the central rod alone.

permit at will light massage, or massage by percussion owing to thepossibility of longitudinal adjustment of the cross piece on its drivingshaft T. To this end this latter is formed, for example, with a verticalslot 25 (Fig. 3) and the cross piece 18 is provided with a key or stopscrew 26 in such manner as to permit an adjusting movement of the crosspiece along its rod, while maintaining the two members connected inrotation. The position of the cross piece .011 the rod is regulated bymeansof any suitable device, for example by means of a fork 27 on whichrests a part 28 of the cross'piece and permitting of the raising of thislatter more or less, although it may be itself adapted to be movedupward or, as shown, it may be moved transversely, its arms being inthat case arranged in the form of wedges, the lower face bearing on thecollar 29 of the driving shaft T, and the upper face supporting thecross piece b its part 28. In the example shown, the ork 27 is screwedon a threaded rod 39 which may rotate in the frame 1 or in the box 7,said rod being constantly pressed inward by the spring 30 and adapted tobe rotated by the head 39 of the screw. on rotation of the threaded rodby means of this head 39, the fork is moved transversely in eitherdirection. It may be moved for example, outwardly to allow the crosspiece to drop until the rollers 20 no longer strike the peripheralfingers 10 and until the cams of the plate 22 of the cross piece are nolonger in engagement with the cams of the plate of the rod 13. By regulating-the position of the cross piece it is thus possible to regulateat the same time the amplitude of the percussions or thrust movements ofthe fingers, and that of the central rod, this latter bein intended tocarry various massaging members as will. be explained later on.

.In some cases it is of importance that one should be able to operatethe fingers and the central rod at the same time or the fin- For thispurpose the central rod may be threaded on its outer end at 17, andinstead of a collar has a pinion 32 which can be operated from the sideof the casing and bears against the upper partition 9 of the ca sing 12in such manner as to permit variation of the lowest position (recoilposition) of the central rod in order to separate the two cam members orto bring them into engagement.

A convenient and compact arrangement for effecting rotation of thepinion comprises a key or shaft 32 extending transversely of the upperside of the casing, its inner end lying in a depression or recess 9' inthe upper partition 9, and being provided with a worm arranged to engagesaid pinion. In the drawing the central rod is shown in lowered positionand the two cam members are in engagement. Upon suitable rotation of thepinion 32 the rod 13 is raised and is locked (the cams not being inengagement) while the fingers continue to 0perate. By moving theforkedwedge 27 outwardly to lower the cross piece 18 and thus to preventcontact of the rollers 20, 20', with the fingers, and by turning pinion32 so as to lower cam member 22 of the central rod into operativeposition, the central rod only will be subjected to vibratory movement,while the noncentral series of fingers remain idle.

The central rod is most conveniently tubular as shown in Fig. 3 and isinternally threaded for attachment of different massage instruments.Thus the central rod may receive a screw 32* providedwith a round head,the screw forming a central finger similar to the peripheral fingers; orthe central rod may be provided with a rubber disk 33 to which issecured a ring 34 consisting of cloth which may be moistened with aliquid. A suitable method of attachment of this ring consists inproviding the rubber disk with a flange 33 forming. a kind of openpocket in which the ring can be introduced. The fingers 1O operate firstacross the rubber disk and combine their effects with that of the liquidto produce a mcdicamental friction. The rubber pocket can be also usedwithout any packing as a simple absorbing device operating withoutmoisture. In place of fixing the central metallic disk of the rubberpocket on the rod 13 by means of a screw engaging the internal thread ofthis rod as shown, this central metal piece may be formed as a screwthreaded on the outer thread in such manner to replace the collar or nut32 intended for limiting the movement of this rod 13.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. In particular the arrangementof the fingers may be modified at will; the cross-bar may have two orfour arms; regulationof the axial position of the cross-bar can beeffected by other means than those indicated, etc. An essentialadvantage of the invention consists in the subdivision of the vibratingeffect among a large number of small separate elements operatingsimultaneously or preferably alternately. This permits of multiplyingconsiderably the frequency of vibrations and their amplitude and energyover a given space, since in this arrangement action takes place at thesame time only on small separate parts which permits of better cont-actthan with the large single massaging surfaces used hitherto.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure bvLetters Patent of the United States is 1. A vibratory massagingapparatus comprising in combination with a driven shaft, a cross-membercarried thereby, rollers mounted on said cross-member, and a series offingers actuated by said rollers, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A vibratory massaging apparatus comprising in combination with adriven shaft, a cross-member carried thereby, rollers on saidcross-member, a series of fingers actuated by said rollers, a rod, andmeans whereby said rod may be vibrated by said shaft, as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. A vibratory massaging apparatus comprising in combination with adriven shaft, a cross-member carried thereby, and adapted to rotatetherewith. rollers provided on said cross-member, a series of fingersactuated by said rollers, and means for raising and lowering saidcross-member on said shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A vibratory massaging apparatus comprising, in combination with adriven shaft, a cross-member carried thereby, rollers on saidcross-member, a series of fingers actuated by said rollers, a rod, meanswhereby said rod may be vibrated by said shaft, and means for limitingthe movement of said red, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A vibratory massaging apparatus comprising, in combination withadriven shaft, a cross-member carried thereby and adapted to rotatetherewith, rollers mounted on said cross-member, a series of fingersactuated by said rollers, means for limiting the movement of said rod,and a rubber pocket carried by said rod said pocket arranged over saidfingers, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. Massaging apparatus comprising a massage member mounted for thrustmove ment, means arranged to travel in a plane transverse to thedirection of thrust and adapted to engage and thereby to actuate saidmassage member and means for varying the extent of the thrust movementthereby imparted to said massage member.

7. Massaging apparatus comprising a plurality of massage members mountedin substantially circular series for longitudinal thrust movement, andmeans arranged to move transversely to the direction of thrust so as toengage said massage members successively and thereby to actuate thesame.

8. Massaging apparatus comprising a plurality of massage fingersdisposed about a central axis and mounted for longitudinal thrustmovement substantially parallel to said axis, and means arranged to turnabout said axis and to engage the ends of said fingers successively toactuate the same.

9. A vib 'atory massaging apparatus comprising the combination, with adriven shaft, and an arm revoluble therewith and carrying an actuatingroller, of a plurality of vibratory elements arranged to be actuated bysaid roller.

10. A vibratory massaging apparatus comprising the combination, with adriven shaft and a cross member revoluble therewith, of a plurality ofvibratory elements arranged in annular series around the axis of saidshaft, said cross member being adapted, when revolved, to actuate saidvibratory elements successively and alternately on opposite sides of theshaft axis.

11. A vibratory massaging apparatus comprising the combination, with aplurality of individually operable vibratory elements in substantiallyannular arrangement, of means revoluble to engage said elementssuccessively to operate the same.

12. A vibratory massaging apparatus comprising the combination, with amassaging surface consisting of a relatively large number ofindividually operable small vibratory elements, of means operable toengage and thereby to vibrate said elements successively.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL LOUIS FRANCOIS HIPPOLYTE CHAUSSINAND.

lVitnesses MAURICE DEBRON, BARTLEY F. Yosr.

